Mandaadi (2026), a good action film

A familiar friends-turned-rivals story set around a boat race. There are a few dull moments, and the unimaginative backstory does not help either. But a brisk screenplay, good acting by Soori, and the fast-paced mid-ocean sequences make Mandaadi an enjoyable film. Mangoidiots gives it a Ripe.

After two decades, Kaali (played by Soori) returns to his native fishing village. He is compelled to save the life of his friend’s son from being killed. The backdrop is a local boat race rivalry controlled by a local businessman. The story follows how Kaali handles this life-or-death situation and whether he makes it back to the boat race.

The film starts slowly as we see familiar scenes and characters. But it picks up pace after some time, only to lose steam during the flashback. As the film nears the climax, it manages to make up for the lost momentum.

Near the climax, a deeply emotional scene sees Kaali meet his former lover, now his friend’s wife, played by Mahima Nambiar. This was superb. The scene alone shows what a fine actor Soori is. The villain, the local businessman Sattaipuli, is played by Suhas, who brings the character to life. He was a fine choice for the role. Sathyaraj appears briefly and impresses us. G V Prakash‘s background score sets the mood during the action sequences.

The highlight of the film is the boat race scenes played out on the ocean. It is evident that a lot of effort went into these sequences, especially in getting the actors to handle the boats under tough conditions. In the climax, though, the hurdles are over-exaggerated with the addition of a whirlpool and unnecessary fist fights.

Overall, Mandaadi is a good action film in a different setting.